Grand Water Festival Cancelled

On Thursday, October 13, 2011, Prime Minister Samdech Akeak Moha Sena Thapdey Techo HUN SEN announced the cancellation of this year's Water Festival which was due to take place in the capital from November 9 to 11.  Speaking at a special Council of Ministers meeting to assess damages caused by the floods in the Kingdom, the premier told the council that the funds for the annual three-day Water Festival celebrations could be better utilised to help the tens of thousands of families affected by the disasters instead.

The nation's biggest annual festival usually attracts about two million citizens from the various provinces around the country to the capital to enjoy boat races, fireworks and concerts. Unfortunately, the weather has caused the country to suffer it's deadliest floods since 2000, forcing Prime Minister Samdech Decho Hun Sen to decide on calling off the event in the capital.  Prime Minister Samdech Akeak Moha Sena Thapdey Techo HUN SEN also felt that the precariously high water level of the Tonle Sap river that flows through the city would present a "high risk" to revellers.

However, Samdech Techo affirmed that the Water Festival celebrations can still be held in the provinces if at local level, the respective provinces could afford the expenses.

Cambodia Green Advanture

What Community-based Eco-tourism means to you?

In brief, Community-based tourism (CBT) is a form of responsible tourism that supports local communities and improves livelihoods. The tourism destination is managed by the local community members themselves.

CBET helps protect nature and support the lives of the local community. It provides alternative income which encourages the community to protect its natural resources rather than destroy them through unsustainable use.

Through CBET visitors get the change to have to know local Cambodian people, enjoy their hospitality, join them in their everyday life and learn about their culture and environment. This authentic form of tourism takes visitors to their communities and beautiful natural areas. Come and experience the real culture, the real nature and the real Cambodia.

List of CBET sites around Cambodia:
1. Ang Trapeang Thmor Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Banteay Mean Chey
2. Banteay Chhmar Community-Based Tourism Site. Banteay Meanchey
3. Chambok Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Kampong Speu
4. Chi Phat Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Koh Kong
5. Koh Pdao Community Development Tour, Kratie
6. Osvay Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Stung Treng
7. O'Russey Kandal Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Stung Treng
8. Prek Toal Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Battambang & Siem Reap
9. Preah Rumkel Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Stung Treng
10. Prek Thnout Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Kampot
11. Thmatboey Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Siem Reap
12. Virachey National Park Community-Based Ecotourism Initiative, Rattanakiri
13. Yeak Laom Community-Based Ecotourism Site, Rattanakiri
14. Khmer Village home stay, Kampong Thom
15. Sambor Prei Kuk, Kampong Thom
16. Koh Preah, Stung Treng

What do you get by going on a CBET trip? 

It is a different experience than going to a destination of mass tourism. Some things to consider in advance:

Cultural exchange
Most of the time, the people of the community will be just as curious and excited about you, as you are about them. A visit to their communities gives you the chance for cultural exchange. Respect cultural sensitivities and don't give the local people the feeling they are zoo animals. If you are truly interested in Cambodian culture, a visit can give you unique insights in the people, environment and culture of the destination.

Home-stay
Some projects offer the possibility of a home-stay. This means you will spend the night in the house of a local family. The houses are prepared for your visit and will be equipped with mosquito nets for example. If you can't live without your hot shower and comfort, a home-stay is not for you. A home-stay won't provide you luxury, but it will be an unforgettable experience! You will experience the daily life of the community. Your host family will welcome you in their house, look after you and tell you all about their life!

Who benefits
Part of the fee of visiting a CBET site is being invested in environmental conservation and community development. Therefore, you may pay a little extra. With your support the community will benefit and the environment will be conserved. By paying entrance fees, hiring local guides, doing home-stays and purchasing local products, you can support nature conservation and sustainable livelihoods.

How to behave
Try to learn about the community before you go and behave in an appropriate way during your stay. Some guidelines:

• Wildlife and Forest Conservation
  • Do not eat, buy, or encourage in any way, wildlife trade and the capture of wildlife. This includes buying of animals out of pity.
  • Take all non-biodegradable rubbish out with you as there are no waste management facilities in the villages.
  • Try to conserve water. 
  • Bury any human waste and toilet tissue at least 50m from water sources.
  • Take a collective responsibility to ensure fires are safe and well extinguished before departing a camp or lunch site.
  • Please do not collect plants and specimens from the forest as souvenirs. Remember that people are a vital part of conservation and that they and their way of life deserve respect.
• Respecting Cultural Values
  • Dress modestly. Cover legs and shoulders whilst in the village. Nudity is offensive, so also dress modestly when bathing.
  • Take your shoes off when entering a house or your home-stay.
  • Displays of affection should not be made publicly.
  • Don't become drunk or use drugs.  
  • Don't flirt with local people. Be respectful at all times. 
  • Try to meet with the village committee.
  • Please do not give money or gifts to children or beggars.
  • Ask before taking photographs of local people.
  • If you are inclined to leave a tip or want to make a contribution, please leave a communal amount for everyone to share in order to diffuse any jealousies or perception of inequity.

Tourist activities in Cambodia

A vacation is defined as leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure.   Vacation to some is to surrender oneself to total freedom and travel in search of pristine beaches in some exotic destinations.  Yet to others, a vacation is when you would want to explore new exotic territories or to adventure into something you had always wanted to do but didn't find the time to. Whatever your desires may be, recreational opportunities abound in Cambodia.
The pristine beaches of Cambodia are described to be amongst the best in the world and what other place is there where one can be mystified by the grandeur and charms of an ancient city such as the Angkor or be romanced by the culture of a populace that was once recognised as one of the most powerful in the continent of Asia.  Cambodia - A World of Wonder awaits you.
Here are some recommended activities to entertain you during your visit to Cambodia.  Click on them for details.

Cultural Tourism: 

• Visit the magnificent Angkor Wat, a heritage of humanity and world wonder
• Explore other ancient Khmer temples such as those in Siem Reap, Preah Vihear, Kandal, Takeo, etc
• Tracing frescos and murals of the ancient temples.
• Visit Buddhist pagodas and museums in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh
• Visit monuments in Phnom Penh, e.g. the Independence Monument
• Watch kites flying in Phnom Penh; a tradition dating back many centuries.
• Join and observe the Royal Ploughing Ceremony
• Watch Buffalo Races during Pchum Ben Festival
• Watch boat racing in Phnom Penh & Siem Reap during Water Festival
• Participate in Khmer traditional games and dancing during festivals such as the Khmer New Year, etc
• Visit the indigenous people of the rural areas.

Eco Tourism:

• Visit floating villages of the Kampong Phluk Commune in Siem Reap Province
• Bird-watching is a popular recreation at the Prèk Toal habitats in Siem Reap Province
• Visit wildlife sanctuaries in the Provinces
• Take boat rides on the Tonlé Sap Lake and along the mighty Mekong River
• Watch fishing activities on the Tonlé Sap Lake and the mighty Mekong River
• Kayak through the Mangroves in Koh Kong
• Explore and take a hike through the jungles of the Angkor area
• Rent a bicycle and cycle around the countryside of Siem Reap
• Explore mountain caves/ caverns in Kampot Province
• Trek on elephant back through the jungles of Mondulkiri or Rattanak Kiri
• Explore and relax on the Tonsay Island in Kèp City
• Enjoy the pristine beaches of Rong Island in Sihanouk Ville
• Visit the waterfalls in Kampot Province and Kampong Speu Province
• Swimming and scuba-diving in Sihanouk Ville, Koh Kong Province, and Kèp City
• Explore coral reefs at the bottom of the sea of Sihanouk Ville
• Boat ride through the mangrove forest at the Ream National Park in Sihanouk Ville
• Spot sea dolphins at the Ream National Park in Sihanouk Ville
• Go sailing and paragliding in Sihanouk Ville
• Island hopping; discover the many islands of Koh Kong Province
• Hike to the Chambok Waterfalls at Kirirom National Park in Kampong Speu Province
• Cruising down the river from the Andong Toek to the Village Chi Phat in the southern Mountain Range of the Cardamom
• Trek the jungles of the Mountain Range of the Cardamom
• Go Camping in the jungles of the Mountain Range of the Cardamom
• Visit the Pong Roul Waterfall on the Srè Ambel River
• Visit the Ramsar wetland in Stung Treng
• Cruise down the Mekong River from Stung Treng to Kratie
• Spot and observe the Mekong River dolphins at the Kampi resort in Kratie
• Trek the Virachey National Park in Rattanak Kiri
• Swim in the crystal clear waters of the Yeak Laom Lake, Rattanak Kiri
• Visit the Bousra Waterfalls in Mondul Kiri
• Visit the Srè Pok Wilderness Area in Mondul Kiri
• Elephant riding in Rattanak Kiri and Mondul Kiri
• Meet the indigenous people of Rattanak Kiri and Mondul Kiri provinces
• Discover the trails of the mighty Mekong River.

When Night Falls

• Watch cultural performances over dinner
• Visit the Casinos in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Pailin and Bavet
• Visit the pubs, karaoke bars and night club
• Take a night cruise up the mighty Mekong River
• Go to the Night Markets in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap

Raffles Properties in Cambodia get Refurbishment

Opened in 1929 and 1932 respectively, these are the only luxury hotels in Cambodia that pre-date the civil war and the Khmer Rouge era.  They were brought into the Raffles portfolio in 1997 after thorough and sensitive modernization.    The hotels were the work of French architect Ernest Hébrard based in Hanoi, who was responsible for the design of many buildings constructed in French Indochina in the early 20th century.  So it is appropriate that French interior designers based in Ho Chi Min City should be playing a starring role in the next chapter of their lives.

Over the next few months both hotels will be given the investment, attention and creativity they deserve.  The design company NOOR (www.noorvn.com) was given the brief to breathe new vitality, elegance and comfort into the interiors by subtly updating the hotels’ much-loved French Colonial, Art Deco and Khmer style and ambiance.

John Johnston, President, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, said:

“Raffles Hotel Le Royal and Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor are without doubt the hotels in Cambodia with the most heritage, character and atmosphere.    In the last year, we have introduced the legendary Raffles Butlers at both hotels, to give our guests truly personalized service 24-hours a day.    This refurbishment is the next chapter:  it will reinstate the hotels’ original exotic glamour and take them up to the next level of comfort and luxury - for real 5-star service and style.”

The design thread comes from the hotels themselves, as they are so distinctive and bursting with character.  After researching the Indochine era, NOOR has brilliantly incorporated the original French Colonial and Art Deco elements into the new architectural detail, textures and colours.

Khmer artwork, both original and newly commissioned, has been sourced from local artists – from silverwork and wood carving, to lacquers, boxes and sculptures.  Luxurious Cambodian silks, the use of Khmer patterns and Art Deco colours will add another layer to the rich new schemes, which include:

At both hotels
- upgrading and refreshing the State Rooms (double rooms) - giving them gleaming new wooden floors using dark, sustainable local woods, seductive Jim Thompson fabrics and local Cambodian silks, for a luxurious, authentic, romantic colonial feel.  Further rooms will be refurbished in 2012.

At Raffles Hotel Le Royal in Phnom Penh
- In addition to the staterooms, above, there will be two new Balcony Suites overlooking the gardens.

- The famous airy Lobby and the Conservatory Bar are being discreetly transformed and brought up to date.  The layout will be cleverly re-configured, the lighting updated, the best furniture restored and new pieces commissioned.

- Meeting rooms and the Ballroom will be refurbished, with new colour schemes, sound and light systems.  Raffles Hotel Le Royal offers meeting spaces for up to 300 guests for bespoke private events.


At Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap
- the total refurbishment and upgrading of the two enormous private villas in the hotel’s lush tropical gardens, to create the most distinctive, impressive and private accommodation in Siem Reap  - for families, friends and couples on romantic travels.    For over 75 years, a visit to the ancient temples of Angkor has been synonymous with a stay at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor – and there could be nowhere more atmospheric than its villas.  Each villa has two spacious bedrooms, an enormous drawing room and dining area, a kitchen and wine cellar and private terraces. 

- Villa Uma will be contemporary colonial, with a glamorous new plunge pool, decking, daybeds and landscaping, sleek, modern colonial furniture and new wooden flooring throughout.  In contrast, Villa Kama will retain its traditional colonial feel with teak furniture, decorative Khmer touches, rich carpets, Deco style furniture and new lighting.  Outside, updated landscaping will be complemented by rattan furniture and new planting. 

The refurbishment will be complete by November 2011 – making Raffles Hotel Le Royal and Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor amongst the very best hotels in this beautiful, fascinating country.

Source - hotelnewsresource

Raffles Le Royal, Phnom Penh

Raffles Grand D'Angkor hotel, Siem Reap